Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 53

Sutra 44. Kamakrodhamoha smritibhramsa buddhinaasa sarvanaasakaaranatwaat.

[Because it is the cause of lust, anger, delusion, loss of memory, loss of intellect and total ruin.]

Kama: desire, lust

Krodha: anger;

Moha: delusion, infatuation, bewilderment

smritibhramsa: loss of memory

Buddhinaasa: loss of intellect

Sarvanaasa: total ruin

Kaaranatwaat: being the cause of.

Desire is born of Rajas. It generates both greed and anger. It is the cause for commission of sin.

The opposite of evil company “dussanga” is “Satsanga”.

The natural tendency of the mind is to stick to something. It is normally sticking to vishayas or objects. If this tendency is to be annihilated, it must be turned to God or Atma .

“Buddhinasa” or loss of discrimination refers to the inability to distinguish between truth and falsehood, the permanent and the impermanent, good and bad, right and wrong, etc .

Lord Krishna says : 

“Man thinking on the objects of sense, develops an attachment to these ; 

from attachment arises desire (to own / enjoy the object to whom he gets attached)

from desire anger proceeds; (anger is there when he is not able enjoy / attain the object to which he gets attached)

from anger arises delusion; (when anger arises, it obstructs the reasoning capacity of man and he is deluded thus)

from delusion confused memory; (A deluded man loses sharp memory)

from confused memory the destruction of reason; (On losing memory, man ceases to use his power of reasoning / discrimination)

from destruction of reason he perishes.” (The last stroke, without discrimination, man is not a man, so Krishna says, he perishes, i.e., The value / preciousness of human birth is lost, though he may still be alive and leading a life which is of no use)

Gita Ch. 11-62-63.

Sutra 45. Tarangaayita apeeme sangaatsamu- draayanti.

[Though they (evil tendencies, lust, anger etc.) appear only in the form of ripples in the beginning, they become like an ocean as a result of evil company.]

Tarangaayitah : acting as ripples

api : even though

Ime :  these (lust, anger, etc.)

Sangaat : by (evil) association ;

Samudraayanti : become like an ocean.

An aspirant should be afraid of even faint traces of evil till they are totally eradicated. Just as fire under the ashes may assume the form of a huge flame by the blowing of a strong wind, so also suppressed evil may assume a huge form through evil company.

Therefore the aspirant should be ever vigilant and avoid evil company ruthlessly.

In the beginning lust and anger may be checked when they are in the form of ripples ;. but it is very difficult to curb them when they assume the form of a big ocean owing to evil company.

Swami  very often says these lines "Tell me your company and I will tell you what you are".

Mind seeks gratification of senses, fulfillment of lower passion etc. 

When such a man puts himself in bad company, those who are there in that company, fuel his thoughts and convince him that he is not doing a sin by resorting to fulfillment of sensual desires / passions etc. 

Man always wants people around to appreciate his thoughts, his feelings, his actions and thus, man falls prey to such false recognition of his evil desires in the company of evil.

Whereas, when he opts for satsangh, such noble men to whom he approaches will never tell some thing just to please him, but they will tell only what is right and what is wrong.

That is why, it is said, even if you are not able to reform yourself, just be in good company, never leave satsangh, make satsangh a part of your daily routine, always try to listen to words of noble / learned men and try your best to practice what they say / teach.

Love.

Narada Bhakti Sutra - Post 52

Sutra 42. Tadeva Saadhyataam Tadeva Saadhyataam.

(Let that alone be practised, let that alone be practised)

Tat: that (aids to love of God referred to in Sutra 35-37); 

Eva: only, alone 

Saadhyataam: let it be practised.

  

Tat: that, refers to renunciation and loving service described in Sutras 35-37 as well as the grace of God and Mahapurushas or great souls. Self-surrender must be complete. Then alone the divine grace will flow. Self-surrender is Praptti.

Strive after love of God alone, strive after love of God alone.

Work for, strive after the grace of God. Make serious efforts to obtain the grace of God. The object of repeating the phrase is to stress its urgency and importance.

Such practices as would enable us to obtain their grace alone should be adopted.

Therefore cultivate this, cultivate this (contact with the lover of God, or Mahatma).

If you wish to cultivate divine love, sincerely’ long for the company of saints. Through the grace of the Lord you will obtain the company of great souls or Mahatmas, Mahapurushas.

Eva: that alone. That alone is valuable. Other things are of no value. God’s grace alone must be obtained. The methods have already been given detachment, service, kirtan, hearing of Lord’s leelas, etc.

Summary

Having been born as a Human, to be convinced that the only purpose is to reach and merge with God and to take up all steps, all sacrifices to win the grace of God to attain God, is the only and only goal of a man.

Sutra 43. Dussanga Sarvathaiva Tyaajya.

(Evil company should be certainly given up by all means)

Duh-sanga: evil company

Sarvatha: by all means

eva: only, certainly  

Tyajya: to be given up.

Everywhere, at all times, by all means avoid the company of the wicked.

A person  who keeps company with the wicked people loses his devotion and develops evil qualities. He also comes to the level of a worldly man. Mind imitates. Evil company is the main obstacle to devotion.

In the company of the wicked one develops immorality, licentiousness, vicious habits, voluptuousness, sensuality, hypocrisy, arrogance, etc. Evil company destroys all virtues such as purity, truthfulness, compassion, etc.

If the locality, food, surroundings, environment, vocation, form of worship, topics of discussion, books you read are sattvic you will grow in spirituality and virtue. If they are Rajasic or Tamasic you will develop evil traits.

Some people argue “Why should we shun evil company? Is not God there also? Why should we see evil anywhere? Shall we not see only the good? Should we not see only God in the evil also?

A sage alone is above good and evil. He alone sees good in the evil too . For him there is neither good  nor evil. He alone will not be affected by evil. He sees God in evil also. 

Ordinary man and a raw aspirant will be easily affected by evil company He cannot see good in evil. Evil is a solid reality for him.

God is everywhere. God is in pure water, and in dirty water. But you cannot drink the dirty water. 

A young aspirant cannot take refuge in the Upanishadic saying, “All Indeed is Brahman” when he is in the midst of temptations. Every object that stimulates lower passions must be ruthlessly avoided.

  

This sublime instruction should only be imparted to the aspirant who is endowed with absolute moral purity, discrimination, dispassion and who is free from cravings for sensual pleasures.

Evil is a product of ignorance. Good is that which leads you to the attainment of God-realisation or eternal bliss. Evil is that which leads you to sorrow, unhappiness, misery, birth and death. Sattva is goodness. Tamas and Rajas are evils. Sattva will give serenity, tranquility, composure, calmness. Rajas and Tamas will cause agitation, restlessness, anxiety, vexation, suffering and unhappiness.

SUMMARY

This sutras follows the previous sutra rightly.

Only when a man has clear goal of realizing God as emphasized in the previous sutra, he will automatically avoid evil company and his heart lit up with Godly thoughts will desist evil company, knowing that it may take him away from his goal.

Love.